Chilly Tuesday

Apparently chairs are much better than the nice doggy bed on the floor.

Or ...

the dogs have taken over and I am their servant. 

Hannah still has to be lifted onto the chair, she hasn't gotten the jump down quite yet.

They keep me safe and busy.

Charlie is the watchdog and Hannah runs to hide if she hears a loud or unfamiliar noise.

After the scrapper dudes left, we headed out for some exploring. [More about them another time.]

We explored a new area.

 

A sunny bluff that ran north and south.

On the eastern side of the bluff spring flowers were pushing up. 

Spring Beauties
[they should carpet the forests in
about two weeks]

Spring Beauties and
the sprouts of Dutchman's Breeches

Blood Root a very unique
spring flower.

On the west side, there were icicles dripping off from cold bluff. This side of the bluff rarely gets much sunshine as it faces a steep and heavily forested valley.

The cracks in the bluff had frigid air coming out of them.

If it is really hot while hiking this summer, I know where I can go to cool off. All I have to do is stand at this crack in the bluff and feel the cold air venting out.

Natural air conditioning!

Hannah loved the cold so much she had super zoomies.

The bluff has such unique shapes, forms, and colors.

Looking up.

Here is the view of the Kickapoo River retreating from its flood stage. I was standing on a bridge about 10 feet above the river. The bridge still had mud and debris on it.

The pussy willows along the trail that runs alongside the river were bright with their catkins.

On the hike back I saw a pair of swans and a pair of Sandhill Cranes in the wetlands. 

Both dogs slept on the way home.

It was a cold but good day.

Hay Valley Spring Hike

It was time for our second Annual Spring Hike at Kickapoo Valley Reserve. Fellow Blogger Aurora [equine expressions] and I studied the weather and decided to go for it this week.

Not only was she early to our meet up place, she said she didn't get lost. 

Once we started, our Trail Master kept us on the right track.

At first glance, the trail may look a bit mundane and even boring. But it isn't. Spring feels a bit late this year, but ...

...it is slowly emerging and with a few warmer days it will explode.

If one looks closely, the flowers are emerging on certain hillsides.

Bloodroot

Dutchman's Breeches

Fiddlesticks
--Ferns

Hepatica
[see the fuzzy leaves?]

Wild Photographer
on the loose:

 

We stopped a lot and just soaked in the forest sounds. The day was a bit overcast and at times the sun peeked through but we just walked, talked, and admired everything along the trail.

And photographers who hike together will often grab a candid of the other person. Aurora was no exception. She caught me playing with my Legos.

What was I doing? Well, I was setting up a Lego BigFoot inside a 'cave'. However, I wasn't sure that he should have a fire inside a hollow tree.

The place I really wanted Aurora to see was the old foundation.

This was a much better place to discover Bigfoot.

Photos by
Aurora!

And this is what I was shooting. I found Bigfoot!!!! He was taking a photo of me!

We spent a lot of time looking at this foundation. It may be the only remains of one of the farm buildings that were purchased to make way for the dam that didn't happen.

We took our time and strolled, stopping often to look at things. I never even glanced to see what time it was. I was enjoying everything so much. Female human company AND the great outdoors.

Pussy Toes

this plant had

me stumped until I recalled

finding them before!

Shining Firmoss

If I'd had my way, I would have not even gone back to my vehicle. I would have waved a magic wand and become a woodland elf.

That outing relaxed me so much, it lasted through the weekend. I'm so chill right now I could just melt right into the ground and enjoy the misty rainfall.